Sheet feeding apparatus



" April 30, 1968 J. SIMPSON SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 18, 1966 INVENTOR JusTm Sm sou BY 0 r 3 VMj/j/L ATTORNEYS April 30, 1968 J. SIMPSON 3,380,732

SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS Filed May 18, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v INVENTOR JusTm Smpsou W FILED! MTT% E Y% United States Patent O "we 3,380,732 SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS Justin Simpson, Elrnhurst. 111., assignor to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed May 18, 1966, Ser. No. 551,069 12 Claims. (Cl. 271-44) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a novel apparatus for feeding sheets, and is particularly directed to an apparatus for feeding non-uniplanar sheet material elements, such as warped corrugated sheets, at relatively high operating speeds and in the absence of excessive scrap generation. The apparatus includes a hopper having an opening and a pair of feed means opposite thereto mounted for universal movement in at least two different planes during the movement thereof toward the opening whereby the sheet material elements are fed toward the opening irrespective of the particular non-uniplanar configuration thereof.

It is conventional in the paper making industry to bottom feed a lowermost one of a stack of sheet material blanks to various different types of paper treating machines, such as printer-slotters, folder-gluers, etc. The stack of blanks is generally supported in a hopper having a throat or opening through which the lowermost one of the blanks is fed by a reciprocating feed mechanism, an endless belt or chain type feeding mechanism or similar conventional feed means. If each of the blanks of the stack is perfectly fiat and uniplanar, such conventional apparatuses are generally effective to feed the blanks in a repetitive manner at relatively high speeds. However, if the blanks are not flat and uniplanar conventional apparatuses have heretofore been devoid of any means for uniformly and efiiciently feeding such blanks.

For example, conventional corrugated board or corrugated sheets tend to warp from a perfectly flat uniplanar configuration to a uniformly or non-uniformly curved configuration. When such non-uniplanar sheets are stacked in a hopper of most conventional feed apparatuses, the undulating or curved configuration of the trailing edges of the blanks prevent the conventional feed means from at all times contacting these edges and feeding a sheet during each feed cycle of the particular apparatus. The curved or undulating configuration of leading edges of the blanks also tend to abut against the interior of the hopper causing the feed mechanism to jam and/or results in the mutilation or damage to one or more of the blanks.

In accordance with the above it is a primary object of this invention to provide a novel apparatus for feeding non-uniplanar sheet material elements, such as uniformly or non-uniformly warped corrugated sheets or blanks, in a manner and by means which overcome each of the above and other disadvantages of conventional sheet feeding apparatuses.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel apparatus for feeding non-uniplanar sheet material elements including means for housing a plurality of elements in stacked relationship, means defining an opening through which individual ones of the elements are adapted to pass singularly outwardly of the housing means, means for moving each element toward the opening means, the moving means including means for contactingly engaging each element and means mounting the engaging means for movement in at least two different planes whereby each sheet material element is contacted by the engaging means 3,380,732 Patented Apr. 30, 1968 irrespective of the particular non-uniplanar configuration of the contacted element.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel apparatus of the type heretofore described wherein the engaging means includes guide means for guida'bly contacting each sheet material element and aligning the engaging means for contact with a trailing edge of each element during the movement of the moving means toward the opening means.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a novel apparatus of the type heretofore described including additional engaging means substantially identical to and spaced from the first-mentioned engaging means, each of the engaging means including means for supporting a lowermost one of the sheet material elements at spaced portions thereof, and means adjacent the opening means for additionally supporting a lowermost one of the elements whereby the latter is supported at least inthree spaced portions thereof to facilitate the introduction of the leading edge of each sheet material element through the opening means.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood .by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary top perspective view of a novel apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention, and illustrates a pair of universally mounted means for engaging a trailing edge of a lowermost sheet material blank for moving a leading edge of the blank through a dispensing opening of a hopper.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of the apparatus of FIGURE 1, and more clearly illustrates the manner in which each lowermost one of the sheet material elements are fed through the dispensing opening of the hopper.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken generally along line 33 of FIGURE 2, and illustrates means for supporting a leading edge of the lowermost sheet material element adjacent the dispensing opening of the hopper.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary front elevational view taken generally along line 44 of FIGURE 3, and illustrates opposed pairs of advancing rolls for continuing the movement of each lowermost element outwardly of the hopper.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken generally along line 55 of FIGURE 3, and illustrates the manner in which the engaging means pivot to conform to the curved configuration of the lowermost sheet material element.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary top perspective view of one of the engaging means of FIGURES 1 through 5, and more clearly illustrates the particular construction thereof.

A novel apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention for feeding non-uniplanar sheet material elements is fully illustrated in FIGURE 1 of the drawings and is generally designated by the reference numeral 10. The apparatus 10 includes a substantially horizontal bed or support 11 to which is welded or otherwise conventionally secured a hopper 12.

The hopper 12 is of a generally rectangular configuration as viewed from above (FIGURE 2), and is defined by a rear wall 13, a front plate 14, opposed side plates 15, 16 and a generally U-shaped band 17. The upper end portions (unnumbered) of the plates 14 through 16 and the rear wall 13 are preferably welded to the band 17 while the lower end portions (also unnumbered) of the plates 15, 16 and the rear wall 13 are similarly welded or otherwise secured to the bed 11. The plate 14 terminates in a free edge 18 (FIGURE 3) spaced above an upper horizontal surface 20 of a support 21 which is in turn welded or otherwise conventionally secured to the bed 11.

The space or gap between the surfaces 18, 20 defines a dispensing opening or throat of the hopper 12 which is generally designated by the reference numeral 22 (FIG- URE 3). The support 21 also includes an inclined surface 23 which slopes upwardly from right-to-left as viewed in FIGURE 3 of the drawings.

The rear wall 13 of the hopper 12 is provided with a pair of openings 24, 25 (FIGURE 1) which are located on either side of a vertical plane passing through the middle of the rear wall 13 and the front plate 14. The openings 24, 25 are sufficiently large to permit sheet material engaging means 26, 27 to freely move from the positions thereof illustrated in FIGURES 1 through 3 of the drawings toward the dispensing opening 22 and back to the initial positions in a continuous reciprocating manner for a purpose which will be more fully apparent hereafter.

The engaging means 26, 27 are identical and each includes a body 30 (FIGURE 6) defined by a leading edge portion 31 and a trailing edge portion 32. The leading edge portion 31 includes means in the form of a sloping upper surface 33 for guidingly contactingly engaging a lowermost surface S (FIGURE 5) of a lowermost blank or sheet material element B of a stack of elements P housed in the hopper 12. Each of the sheet material elements or blanks B include a leading edge portion L and a trailing edge portion T the latter of which is engaged by a generally fiat shoulder 34 (FIGURE 6) of each of the bodies 30. A generally flat supporting surface 35 is disposed between the guiding surface 33 and the shoulder 34 of each of the bodies 30, and each body 30 includes a generally circular bore 36 positioned generally normal to the longitudinal axis of each of the bodies.

Each of the means 26, 27 is mounted for universal movement by identical universal mounting means 40, 41, respectively. The universal mounting means 40, 41 each include a pair of brackets 42, 43. Each bracket 42 is of a generally Y-shaped configuration and includes a pair of upstanding arms 44, 45, a bight portion 46 and a base or leg 47 positioned generally midway between the upstanding arms 44, 45. The arms 44, are provided with respective apertures 50, 51 which are in axial alignment and are positioned in a plane substantially normal to a plane taken through the axis of a bore 52 in the leg 47.

Each of the brackets 43 of the universal mounting means 40, 41 is of a generally U-shaped configuration, and includes a bight portion 53 and a pair of upstanding arms 54, 55 provided with respective aligned bores 56, 57.

The brackets 42, 43 of each of the universal mounting means 40, 41 are secured to each other by passing a bolt through the bores 57, 52, 56 and threadably securing a conventional nut (unnumbered), to a threaded end portion (also unnumbered) of the bolt 60. Each of the brackets 42 is secured to an associated one of the bodies 30 by similarly passing a bolt 61 through each of the bores 36, 50, 51, and threadably securing a conventional nut (unnumbered) to a threaded end portion (also unnumbered) of the bolt 61. The universal mounting means 40, 41 thereby permit the bodies 30 of each of the means 26, 27 to pivot in two planes which are disposed in normal relationship to each other, for a purpose which will be more apparent hereafter.

The brackets 43 of each of the universal mounting means 40, 41 are secured, as by welding, to respective bars 73, 74 which are guidably reciprocally retained in respective parallel guides or channels 75, 76 (FIGURE 5) of the bed 11. The bars 73, 74 are secured together by a cross member 77 to which is pivotally attached a piston rod 78 of moving means 80 which is preferably a conventional hydraulic or pneumatic fluid motor which is operated in a conventional manner to reciprocate the piston rod 78, the bars 73, 74 and the means 26, 27 respectively carried thereby.

As was heretofore noted, the apparatus 10' is adapted primarily for feeding sheet material elements or blanks which are not completely fiat and uniplanar. The blanks or elements B can be, for example, corrugated board or pa perstock or non-paperstock material which is warped or other wise uniformly or non-uniformly deformed. The stack P of blanks B are normally positioned in the hopper 12 in the manner best illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3 of the drawings with the leading and trailing edge portions of all but the lowermost blank contacting the respective front plate 14 and the rear wall 13-. The leading edge L of the lowermost blank rests upon the horizontal surface 20 of the support member 21 while the trailing edge T of the lowermost blank rests upon the flat surface 35 of each of the bodies 30. It should be particularly noted that due to the universal mounting of the 'means 26, 27 the latter automatically pivot to a position at which the lowermost surface S of the lowermost blank is supported by the flat surface 35 of each body 30 with the trailing edge portion T in contact with the shoulder 34 of each body 30, as is best illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 5 of the drawings.

When the moving means 80 is actuated to move the piston rod 78 from right-to-left as viewed in FIGURES 1 and 3 of the drawings, the bars 73, 74 and the means 26, 27 carried thereby are moved in a similar direction to move the lowermost blank through the discharge opening or gate 22 a sufiicient distance for the leading edge portion L to be gripped between the nips of pairs of driven rollers 81, 82 and 83, 84 which continue the advancement of the lowermost blank until it is completely removed from the hopper 12. Since the gate 22 is relatively small as measured in a direction normal to the path of travel of the lowermost blank, it is only necessary for that portion of the leading edge of the lowermost blank resting upon the surface 20 to be maintained in a relatively flat position and any undulation or warpage in the leading edge portion to either side of the central portion in no way effects the passage of the lowermost blank outwardly of the hopper 12. The weight of the stack P assures the free passage of the leading edge portion of the lowermost blank through the gate 22 and the particular configuration of the remaining portions of the leading edge thereby in no way effects the feed of the lowermost blank to the pairs of rolls 81 through 84. After the means 26, 27 have moved to their leftmost position as viewed in FIGURE 3 of the drawings, the moving means 80 is actuated to retract the piston 78 to draw the blank engaging means 26, 27 back to the solid positions illustrated in FIGURES 1 through 3 of the drawings. The next lowermost one of the blanks is then supported by the support 21 and the surfaces 35 of the bodies 30, in the same manner as the previously fed blank. If all of the blanks B are of a uniform non-uniplanar configuration the universal mounting means 40, 41 will not move appreciably and the blank engaging means 26, 27 will be maintained in the illustrated positions thereof during the feeding of the remaining blanks from the hopper 12. However, if for example, the second lowermost blank is bowed or warped to a lesser degree than the blank B (FIGURE 5) the universal mounting means 40, 41 will automatically pivot until the lowermost surface of the blank is substantially flush with the supporting surfaces 35 of the bodies 30. Thus, irrespective of the particular configuration of the blanks B the blank engaging means 26, 27 will conform to the configuration thereof due to the universal mounting means 40, 41 and succeeding lowermost blanks will be continually fed singularly outwardly of the hopper 12 by the apparatus 10.

While the apparatus of this invention has been disclosed for use in conjunction with sheets or blanks which are of a non-uniplanar configuration, it is to be understood that completely flat, planar blanks can be similarly fed thereby. For example, if one of the blanks B of the stack P is co i.- pletely hat and uniplanar the Weight of the stack will cause the universal mounting means 40, 41 to move accordingly until the surfaces 35 of the bodies 3 3 are positioned in a horizontal plane. Therefore, the apparatus is equaily capable of feeding fiat planar sheet material elements, uniformly or non-uniformly contoured non-uniplanar elements or combinations thereof.

From the foregoing it will be seen that novel and advantageous provisions have been made for carrying out the desired end. However, attention is again directed to the fact that additional variations may be made in this invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for feeding non-uniplanar sheet material elements comprising means for housing a plurality of the non-uniplanar sheet material elements in stacked relationship, means defining an opening through which individual ones of the elements are adapted to pass singularly outwardly of said housing means, means for moving each element toward said opening means, said moving means including means for contactingly engaging each element, and universal joint means mounting said engaging means for free movement in at least two different plan -s during the movement thereof toward said opening whereby each element is contacted by said engagmeans irrespective of the particular non-uniplanar configuration or" the contacted element.

2. The apparatus as d-efin :l in claim 1 wherein said engaging includzs means for supporting a lowermost one of the el ents at spaced portions there f, and means positioned adjacent said opening means substantially midway thereof for additionally supporting a low errnost one of the elements whereby the latter is supported at three triangularly spaced portions thereof to fa cilitate the movement of each lowermost element throng said opening means.

3. The apparatus as 'efined in claim 1 wherein saii universai joint means includes pivotal means dispo ed generally normally to each other.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim It wherein engaging means includes guide means for guidably contacting each element and aligning said engaging means for contact with each element during the movement said moving means toward said opening means.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said engaging means includes a shoulder for contactingly engaging the edge of each element, and said guide means is a surface sloping downwardly from said shoulder.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 4 including means adjacent said opening means for advancing the elements as each is moved through said opening by said moving means.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said engaging means includes means for supporting a lowermost one of the elements at spaced portions thereof, and means positioned adjacent said opening means substantially midway thereof for additionally supporting a lowermost one of the elements whereby the latter is supported at three triangularly spaced portions thereof to facilitate the movement of each lowermost element through said opening means.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said moving means includes additional engaging means substantially identical to said first-mentioned engaging means.

9. T he apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein each of said engaging means combines to support a lowermost one of the elements at spaced portions thereof, and means positioned adjacent said opening means substantially midway thereof for additionally supporting a lowermost one of the elements whereby the latter is supported at three triangularly spaced portions by said engaging means and said additionally supporting means to facilitate the movement of said lowermost element through said opening means.

HP. The apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein said housing means is a hopper at one side of which is disposed an op ring means, an opposite side of said hopper with additional opening means through being provided which said engaging means are free to pass during the movement thereof toward said additional supporting means, and said engaging means being carried by guided slides movable toward and away from said first-mentioned opening means in a pair of generally parallel guide channels.

11. The apparatus as defined in claim 16 wherein said moving means is a piston-cylinder mechanism.

12. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said moving means includes additional engaging means substantially identical to said first-mentioned engaging means, and additional universal joint means mounting said additional engaging means for movement in at least two different planes.

References Jited UNITED STATES PATENTS RICHARD AEGERTER, Primary Examiner. 

